Taylor Swift has officially lost her title as the world’s youngest self-made woman billionaire.
Previously, the title belonged to Swift, 35, who earned the distinction in 2023 after Forbes confirmed her billionaire status, which is largely built on the immense success of her music catalog and international Eras Tour.
It has been announced by Forbes that Lucy Guo, a 30-year-old tech entrepreneur and co-founder of the artificial intelligence company Scale AI, is now the youngest self-made woman billionaire after having overtaken Swift.
Guo, who launched Scale AI in 2016 at just 21 years old, has now taken the crown, with a net worth the publication estimates is at $1.25 billion.
The successful businesswoman founded the San Francisco-based AI firm with Alexandr Wang, who was 19 at the time. While Wang served as CEO, Guo led the operations and product design teams.
Both were named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in 2018, but later that year, Wang reportedly fired Guo after a clash over the company’s direction.
Despite her departure, Guo retained a 5% stake in Scale AI, which is now nearing a valuation of $25 billion, according to Business Insider.
Her equity in Scale, along with her new venture Passes, places her among an elite group of only six self-made women billionaires under 40.
Guo’s reaction to the milestone was understated. “I don’t really think about it much, it’s a bit wild. Too bad it’s all on paper haha,” she said in a text message to Forbes.
Guo's second company, Passes, is a creator monetization platform similar to Patreon and OnlyFans, allowing celebrities and influencers to engage directly with fans through paid content.
Passes has inked deals with high-profile names such as gymnast Olivia Dunne, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, and DJ Kygo.
The startup has raised $50 million across three funding rounds from 2022 to 2024, securing backing from major investors including Bond Capital, Michael Ovitz, and Menlo Ventures. It is now valued at a whopping $150 million.
The 'Shake It Off' hitmaker remains a financial powerhouse in her own right. With a net worth of $1.6 billion, she holds the distinction of being the first musician to reach billionaire status primarily through songwriting and performing.
Her fortune includes $600 million from tours and royalties, another $600 million from her music catalog, and $125 million in real estate.
Among the six self-made women billionaires under 40 are two major names from the music world: Swift and Rihanna, the latter with a net worth of $1.4 billion.